"Good is the enemy of great.” -Jim Collins

 “Get going. Move forward. Aim High. Plan a takeoff. Don't just sit on the runway and hope someone will come along and push the airplane. It simply won't happen. Change your attitude and gain some altitude. Believe me, you'll love it up here.”
― Donald J. Trump

 The following is an interview with, Dominic Campasano, president of HTDI  since its inception in 2004, shares his vast experience and advice in an interview with BusinessOpportunity.com

How does someone know if they have what it takes to own their own business?
The first thing someone needs to do is know if they have the drive and motivation to be a success.  If you do not want to work...and work hard, then you're probably better off not running your own business because you will just be another failure statistic.

What was the biggest challenge you faced in your first six months in business?  How did you meet that challenge?
Not having enough hours in the day to do all the things I wanted to do (that's still a problem).  However, back in the first six months, I pulled a lot of 20-24 hour days making sure everything was set up and working right.

What do you think is the greatest challenge facing business owners today and why?  Any suggestions for how to address those challenges? 

(The current) economy can be a hard challenge, along with getting people motivated and wanting to buy from you.  The key is to continue to do proper follow-up and never give up as a whole while developing the skill to know when to take a pass on a bunk lead and then follow up with better quality people instead.

What would you say is the one thing that new business owners forget about or overlook when they’re just planning/starting out?
Most business owners overlook the fact that you have to work to be successful.  I talk to hundreds of business owners each month and some have the wrong vehicle but the right motivation. Others might just be looking to hire people to do the work so they can sit back and make a bunch of money.  These combinations rarely ever work.

What marketing strategies have you found to be most successful in growing your business?
Secure your first customer. Then ask this new, hopefully happy, customer to refer two or three other people just like himself or herself for your services.

What is it about the business/industry you are in that made it so attractive to you?
It would have to be helping so many consumers get into a better credit picture and changing many lives.  Great, honest money; and every day is a new, exciting day.

What is your favorite motto and/or quote when it comes to business?
"It's called work for a reason."

The Importance of Networking

Why is Networking Important?

Networking works! Most practices know that business is generated through sustained networking activity. They know the nuances and benefits of networking:

• Quality relationships take time to build and get stronger over time. They cannot be maintained without regular communication.
• People tend to feel most comfortable with others in their age group. Typically, a range of five to seven years on either side of a person's age creates an atmosphere of compatibility.

How Can I Network Effectively?

Networking concerns two key issues: how you establish new relationships and how you maintain effective and ongoing relationships.

Building new relationships is difficult. Firms must clearly define who they would like to have as new clients and then develop a complete listing of their current and future network of contacts. A firm's network is a group of people who may, over time, refer business to the firm or become clients themselves. By taking the time to define its network, it is better able to utilize the network. Keep the many facets of any successful network in mind:

• All the people you used to know - former neighbors, old friends, former clients, fellow employees, school acquaintances
• All the people you now know - church members, family, current clients, social contacts, charitable affiliations
• All of the people who know you - former students, attendees at your speeches, newsletter recipients
• All of the people you would like to know - prospective clients (by person or company name), influential people, leaders of trade/business associations

Decide which people on your networking list are strong possibilities for a sustained business relationship. Make these the firm's priority contacts.

Obviously, the stronger the relationship becomes the easier it is to maintain. It is important to remember that all business relationships, no matter how solid, require time and attention. Older relationships can more effectively be maintained by introducing new and creative ways of staying in touch.

Many people may balk at developing a networking list. They believe they already know their business contact. Administrators should view this as a red flag which indicates employees are more interested in perpetuating old habits that produce familiar results. Prove that developing a network list can be illuminating. Formerly strong client relationships which weaken over time are indicators of poor networking. If it a firm does not communicate to its good clients, the door is open for other attorneys to develop relationships which could replace your firm.

Now that the network list is clearly defined, the firm may proceed. Keep this hints in mind to ensure success:

• Establish a strong relationship so that networking contacts recognize you even from among a large group.
• Maintain one-on-one name recognition.
• Invite the person to an office luncheon and exchange business information.
• Establish a mutual point of interest -- search for something you have in common.
• Send informal notes to confirm meetings.
• Follow-up with a breakfast meeting to stay in touch.
• Express interest in finding out more about the person's business -- extend a desire to visit the person's place of business.
• Forward articles of interest.
• Invite business contacts to social events attended by other friends and associates.
• Make some type of ongoing contact every four to six weeks until you feel comfortable that this individual is a viable part of your network.

Maintain Your Network

Consider yourself the "gardener" in maintaining business relationships.Gardeners know strong growth requires constant care. Only through long-term commitment and vision will a beautiful garden flourish.

Business relationships will prosper with diligent care and nurturing. If unattended,they too will wither away. Attorneys who recognize the value relationships will take the time to manage and nurture those relationships and ensure a successful practice.

Firms can never stop managing their network. Even well-developed networks can deteriorate within a year if they are not properly maintained. Keeping the network viable can be relatively simple:

• Make regular telephone calls to prospective clients.
• Invite people to quarterly or semi-annual luncheons or holiday parties.
• Send copies of firm newsletters with personal notes. Also send birthday and anniversary cards.
• Plan annual meetings with clients to review satisfaction level.
• Occasionally stop by clients' offices.

To manage effective networking systems, firms must define the strategic focus of their efforts; defining their existing and future contacts; and develop a specific plan of action for managing networking efforts.

An effective business network is the foundation of all successful business development efforts. Attorneys and administrators must be focused and deliberate about how they maintain current clients and generate new business.

"A year from now, you will have wished you started today"

Tips to Success

1. How You Think is Everything:

Always be positive. Think Success, not Failure. Beware of a negative environment.
This trait has to be one of the most important in the entire list. Your belief that you can accomplish your goals has to be unwavering. The moment you say to yourself “I can’t…”, then you won’t. I was always given the advice “never say I can’t” and I’d like to strike those words from the dictionary.

2. Decide upon Your True Dreams and Goals:

Write down your specific goals and develop a plan to reach them.

3. Take Action:

Goals are nothing without action. Be like Nike and “Just do it”.

5. Be Persistent and Work Hard:

 Success is a marathon, not a sprint. Never give up.

6. Learn to Analyze Details:

Get all the facts, all the input. Learn from your mistakes.
7. Focus Your Time And Money:

Don’t let other people or things distract you.
Remain laser focused on your goals and surround yourself with positive people that believe in you. Don’t be distracted by the naysayer’s or tasks that are not helping you achieve your goals.

8. Be Honest And Dependable:

Take responsibility, otherwise numbers 1 – 7 won’t matter.

Confidence

“Pressure is something you feel when you don't know what the hell you're doing.”

-Peyton Manning

Motivation

“Motivation is not a product of outside influence. It is a natural product of your desire to achieve something and your belief that you are capable of doing it. It increases in direct relation to how strong you build your desire and belief in yourself.”
Here are some tips on how to get , AND stay motivated:


1. Start with visualizing your future successes and imagine the feelings you’ll experience when you achieve your goal. Intensify the feelings of accomplishment you’ll enjoy when you achieve your most important goals.
2. Mentally walk the path towards your success. Concentrate on how you will feel at different milestones on the way. Imagine how great it will be as you accomplish every step and expect each success to materialize. Celebrate your successes in your mind every morning and evening.
3. Assign a high priority to each task that you must achieve that will give each task a priority in your mind. Affirm to yourself that you will do what is necessary without fail.
4. Set a target for the amount of work you will do each day toward your goals. Schedule that amount of time in your planner and don’t allow distractions.
5. Visualize the desired outcome: Create a picture of what the desired final outcome will look like, and have this vision in your mind at all times during the day. Make up goal cards and carry them with you for extra motivation as you flow through with your schedule.
6. Set intermediate goals of the things you like to do, the things that you are good at and the person you want to be. Decide to make them happen. Make them a must have them in your life. Commitment improves motivation.
7. Use visual indicators to monitor progress and complete the task. Take pictures of your goals and create a “Vision” or “Dreams” board. Look at it, and monitor where you are with it. Write up progress reports.
8. Give yourself several affirmations to remind yourself of how capable you are and how committed you are to reaching your goals. Internalize and emotionalize each affirmation strongly. Affirmations work better when you intensely feel them as you positively speak them into your existence.
9. Watch movies that motivate you and move you to action. Visualize yourself as the hero.
10. Listen to music that motivates you, that excites you. Employ music that causes different responses for each emotion you need when you need them.
11. If you work better with competition, make a deal with a friend or family member to compete for the goal! Or, have them monitor your progress and present you with rewards for reaching them, or penalties for not reaching them. You must take it seriously for desire and motivation to kick in.
12. Get help and support from people around you or from professionals in the field you are working in, for example a personal trainer, finance manager, trusted business associates, etc.
13. Define your own version of success; don’t let others define success for you. Your goals must be your own for them to motivate you. You have to be mentally invested in them.
14. Ignore or discount any negative influences or responses to your efforts. Put on your blinders and ear plugs to these negative people. Always only take council with people who have succeeded in your area before. Persist!
15. Make a conscious effort to do better than you have ever done. Solve problems and accept challenges as they appear. Plans will always change. What is important is that the planning process is implemented so that you have clear direction without hesitation.
16. Focus on your positive achievements and not the negatives. All people have some things they are not happy with. Concentrate on the things or people who empower your progress. Stay positive and enthusiastic about your journey and the results you are going to make happen.
17. Share your successes with trusted others as this will help keep you focused and voice your accomplishments. Celebrate early and often! There is nothing so motivating as a completed task that you had to rise to the occasion to succeed in it.
18. Acknowledge your strengths and weaknesses and work on them both, but work on improving your strengths mostly. Strengths motivate you and make you feel good at the same time. Highly motivated people use this to their great advantage.
19. Train yourself to finish what you start by refusing to quit until you are done. Cultivate the habit of determination and persistence.
20. Don’t be afraid to make mistakes and if you make any, don’t punish yourself for making them. Understand that it is all in the process of succeeding. Successful people expect some failure on the way. They just carry on with their plans, or adjust and make new plans. The goal stays the same.